Description
The first of the four impromptus, D. 899, written in 1827. The title came from the publisher: these are in fact closely worked compositions. In that year, the last full year of Schubert's life, he wrote two sets of four, and all eight belong to the works that define his final period.
In C minor and common time, it opens with a single note in unison, like a call, and then states a march-like theme. That theme returns repeatedly thereafter, altered each time. In the E-flat major passages triplets enter the accompaniment and the character changes entirely, until the theme comes back still in the minor. Nearly 5,000 notes fill close to ten minutes.
Its advanced rating reflects the structural command needed to carry that span on one theme. The technical obstacles are limited, but playing each return the same way will not sustain the length. Change the colour and the volume at every return and decide where the summit will be. How the opening single note is placed determines the character of the ten minutes that follow.
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About the Composer
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Franz Schubert was a Vienna-born composer who died at only 31 but left behind a vast body of work, especially in the field of Lieder. Known for his gift for melody and subtle modulation, songs such as "Erlkonig" remain widely performed today. His piano works, including the Impromptus, are equally rich in lyricism. This site includes the Impromptus, Opp. 90 and 142, and the "Hungarian Melody."
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